taxonomyhistory

The number of bamboo species known to science has risen sharply since Linnaeus
(1753) published only one species, Arundo bambos (Bambusa Bambos) in his
Species Plantarum. One hundred fifteen years later a new list of 170 species and 21
genera of bamboo was issued by Munro (1868) who published a monograph of the
Bambuseae. Soon after, Kurtz (1876) discovered the usefulness of studying live
specimens in the field and the importance of classifying bamboo using vegetative
characteristics. His extensive research in Asia brought to light the importance of the
culm sheath in identifying Bambuseae.(Holttum, 1958) The suggestion of the use of
vegetative characteristics for Bambuseae taxonomy spawned controversy but proved
helpful in the classification process.(Bedell, 1997) In 1881, Gamble proposed a
classification system in which he recognizing 4 sub tribes, 14 genera and 151 species.
Thirty years later the French botanist, E.G. Camus, adopted Munro’s system of
classification. In his publication he listed 33 genera and 490 species of bamboo,
including many of the herbaceous bamboos (1913). Fifty years later, researchers
began using culm sheaths as well as other vegetative properties to identify bamboo. In
1966, McClure suggested that all parts of the bamboo plant should be used because
of difficulties due to sporadic flowering and difficulty in identification. Fujimoto (1966)
in the same year devised a method of identification based on leaf characteristics.
Between 1983 and 1987 a comprehensive evaluation of the Bambusoideae sub-family
was attempted and published by Dr. Ohrnberger and Dr. Goerrings (1987) using
previous taxonomic works and references from around the world. This work lists 54
genera and approximately 1040-1090 species with the comment that the taxonomy of
this family was very fluid at that stage. Also in 1987 Soderstrom and Ellis published a
reorganization of the Tribe Bambuseae into 9 subtribes and 59 Genera. In 1995
Dransfield and Widjaja restructured the Tribe into 9 subtribes and 69 Genera. In 1997
Dr. Chris Stapleton presented a slightly different organization of the Bambuseae Tribe
into 9 sub-tribes and 77 Genera. In 1999, Dr. Dieter Ohrnberger continued his
previous work and published the most complete treatise on the Bambusoideae to
date. Dr. Ohrnberger listed a total of 111 genera and a firm, but not static, number of
1575 species. 1447 of these species belong to the tribe Bambuseae (further divided
into 10 sub tribes) also known as “woody bamboos” and 128 species in 5 tribes of
"herbaceous bamboos." A more recent and narrower attempt at classifying the
Bambusoideae has been performed by the Grass Phylogeny Working Group (2001).
They restructured the Bambusoideae into 2 tribes and approximately 1200 species.
Dr. D.Z. Li did a reclassification at about the same time dividing the Bamboos into 2
tribes, the woody bamboos into 9 subtribes and 69 genera. Ongoing reclassification
and organization of this subfamily should decrease the number of species currently
identified but new species are still being identified (Ohrnberger, 1999).